With the court proceedings for the Epic Games v. Apple lawsuit beginning earlier this month, Epic alleges that Apple is engaging in anti-competitive behavior by restricting sideloading and imposing “prohibitive” payment processing fees. In a new primer, AAF’s Technology & Innovation Policy Analyst Juan Londoño outlines the background developments for this case, provides each side’s argument, and considers this case’s impact on the tech industry.

Londoño concludes:

The Epic v. Apple case might be decisive for the industry amid calls for sideloading mandates and antirust action against Apple and Google. Most of the questions asked in this case are similar to questions and concerns some policymakers at both the state and federal level have raised regarding the current app-store market. The court’s decision could provide significant momentum to existing initiatives aiming to regulate sideloading restrictions or digital payment processing services. Its impact would extend beyond smartphones, as a possible sideloading mandate could impact other markets such as video game consoles and streaming devices, which also have restrictions similar to Apple’s. The final verdict of the case could imply a paradigm shift for the industry as a whole.

Read the primer.